Some sweepers under the aegis of Association Imo Sweepers, AIS, on Tuesday, February 8, 2022, staged a peaceful protest over the non-payment of their 5 months salary arrears by the Imo State Government.
The protesters, who are mostly widows from the 27 LGAs of the state, came out in their sweeping kits and holding brooms in front of Government House Owerri, were also seen appealing to the governor of Imo State to pay them their salaries.
Speaking with journalists, Mrs. Eberechi Opara, who spoke for the group, said that they usually work between 6 a.m. and 5 p.m. from Monday through Sunday for the Uzodinma-led government and the government has refused to pay them their hard earned money.
She said, “During the last Christmas season, we did not have any holiday and there was no motivation from our employer, the state government. Yet, our employer owes us five months’ salaries. No Christmas gift, no bonus. We went home empty-handed.
“A good number of us who could not cope with the harsh situation had stopped working, the rest of us are doing it on empty promises that we will be paid one day. Most of us are indebted to food sellers and they have refused to sell to us on credit.”
All efforts made by Daily Post to reach the state’s Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Declan Emelumb, proved abortive as he refused to take his calls and never responded to the message sent to him.
